Stress tests for more resilient power grids
2026/05/22
TU Darmstadt and e-netz Südhessen AG have developed a methodology within the research project CyberStress to systematically test the resilience of power grids against cyber attacks. The project aims to enhance security of supply in an increasingly digitalised energy landscape and to establish concrete protective measures for grid operators.
The energy transition is making power grids more modern and more digital. This opens up new opportunities: generators, storage systems and consumers can be intelligently interconnected, making supply more efficient and flexible. However, digitalisation also expands the attack surface for cybercriminals: networked devices installed at customer premises can be manipulated. For example, by taking hostile control of all charging stations from a single manufacturer, hackers could destabilise the power grid. Although these charging points are not under the direct control of grid operators, their large-scale, non-compliant behaviour can jeopardise grid stability.
Against this backdrop, the CyberStress research project developed a stress test methodology for power grids, comparable to established procedures already used in the banking sector. Based on the project's findings, the consortium has submitted concrete recommendations for the statutory introduction of stress tests to the Federal Network Agency as the responsible regulatory authority. The goal is to improve security of supply and strengthen societal protection by systematically assessing how robust power grids are against cyber attacks.
Real-world demonstrator in live operation
Today, TU Darmstadt and e-netz Südhessen AG presented a real-world demonstrator developed within the project, which has been installed in a transformer station of the distribution grid operator. An algorithm developed by TU Darmstadt detects and warns of anomalies in the power grid — for example, sudden load changes caused by manipulated charging processes of electric vehicles that cause electrical power to rise sharply within a very short time.
“The real-world demonstrator allows us to simulate actual attack scenarios and test detection and defence strategies under realistic conditions. This lays the groundwork for grid operators to identify future risks at an early stage and to ensure a reliable energy supply even in an increasingly digital world,” explains Professor Florian Steinke from the Energy Information Networks and Systems research group at TU Darmstadt.
Ines Schultze, Chief Financial Officer of e-netz Südhessen, emphasises: “CyberStress helps us to specifically test our grid for cyber attacks and to derive measures to make it even more resilient. Particularly valuable was the close collaboration with TU Darmstadt, the project partners and the Federal Network Agency as our regulatory authority. This brings together scientific expertise, practical operational experience and a regulatory perspective — collectively strengthening the security of energy supply.”
Project CyberStress
CyberStress is a joint project of TU Darmstadt, e-netz Südhessen AG, Q-Group GmbH and the University of Cologne (Chair of Law of Digitalisation, Institute for Digitalisation). Associated partners are the Federal Network Agency and transmission system operator Amprion. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space under grant number 13N16628 and supervised by VDI Technologiezentrum GmbH.
e-netz Südhessen AG
